


New Tankmates

by wilddragonflying



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Based on my own tank, Betta!Derek, Crack, F/M, Fish!AU, Fluff and Crack, Guppy!Everyone else, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 04:07:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3796111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wilddragonflying/pseuds/wilddragonflying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new fish is added to the tank.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Tankmates

**Author's Note:**

> So I have a 10gal aquarium with 8 guppies and 1 betta in it. I sent impalagirl a photo of the betta, and she demanded I name him Derek because he looked like an adorable grumpy bastard. Then Derek and one of the guppies started hanging out quite a bit, so that guppy naturally became Stiles. Then she suggested I write a fic based on my tank, and, well... This is the result.
> 
> So this is all impalagirl's fault.

Stiles stretched as the overhead lights clicked on, bathing the tank in artificial light. He knew what was coming next, and quickly darted over to his and Scott’s spot for the feeding he knew would come soon; he and Scott had figured out that if they squeezed through the plant leaves next to the filter, the feeder would deposit some food there especially for them, and they didn’t have to worry about Jackson chasing them off.

As they ate, Stiles noticed that the lid didn’t get replaced after the food was deposited; he poked his head through a small opening and looked around before backing up and looking to Scott. _Any idea what’s going on?_

Scott took a look of his own before responding. _No; it’s weird though. Maybe we should stay here?_

Stiles blew a bubble in derision. _Scaredy-fish. I’m gonna go look around._

As soon as Stiles emerged from their feeding spot, a small-- thing dipped into the tank, taking some of the water with it as it retreated. Stiles swam over as it approached again, and almost got himself sucked into it-- it was a red plastic cup. What was it doing, taking their water? It wasn’t like those small things that the feeder used to take little bits of water before the big sucking tube came in to remove a lot more and then replace what it took. Against his better judgment, Stiles swam over to Boyd and Erica; Boyd was a mid-sized guppy, and rather attractive(for a male), with his blue-and-orange tail. _Any idea what’s going on?_

Boyd wriggled out a negative, and Erica-- a plain little female guppy with no coloring, but no less feisty for it-- elaborated, _It just started; it kind of looks like that plastic cup that added water to our bag before we were put in here._

Stiles shuddered at the memory; that whole experience hadn’t been pleasant in the least. _Maybe there’s a new fish coming?_ he suggested after a moment. _We did get that new floating log._

Erica wriggled in the equivalent of a shrug. _Maybe. Don’t get sucked into the cup or maybe you’ll get flushed._

Stiles shivered; he remembered one of the guppies in their old tank had died, and after he’d been removed there’d been whispers of him being flushed-- an old story, used to frighten fry and over-curious guppies(like Stiles). _I won’t._

***

The cup came and went many more times, and each time Stiles tried to figure out what it was doing, but to no avail. Jackson made fun of him for his curiosity, but Stiles had long ago learned to just ignore Jackson and leave him for Lydia to deal with. Jackson may have the biggest and brightest tail fin, but Lydia, with her own slightly-smaller matching tail fin was really the boss of that relationship.

It was after the fifteenth time the red cup disappeared that something changed. A small wave went through the tank, and the water felt… different. Stiles darted around, looking for the cause(and ignoring Scott, who’d hidden in the stump mooning over Allison and worrying about what the red cup could mean), and he found it in the form of a small plastic barrier that housed what had to be the most intimidating-- yet most gorgeous-- fish he’d ever seen. He’d heard of these fish, with their long decorative fins that would put even Jackson’s to shame, and with their aggressive personalities. Why was the feeder putting one in here? Stiles swam along the edge of the plastic container, dancing a little to try to get the other fish’s attention(if only he could remember what they were called…), but it didn’t seem to work.

What _did_ work was most of the other guppies coming over to investigate the new arrival; once the new fish caught sight of them, he seemed to puff himself up, flaring his fins and gills in a threatening display and even lunging at the plastic when Jackson got too close(Stiles was infinitely pleased to see Jackson dart away in shock and take cover behind a nearby leaf.) Eventually everyone else got bored, but Stiles, still curious, stayed by the little container. A little while later, the container and the new fish were removed, but Stiles only had a moment to wonder before a net was releasing the newcomer into the tank. Stiles swam over, dancing excitedly, only to pause when the newcomer immediately darted away, hiding by the warm stick. Confused, Stiles approached again-- only for the newcomer to flare his fins angrily and move in a way that clearly spelled out _Leave me alone!_ Even Stiles wasn’t that insensitive, and he backed away a bit before swimming back over to the stump where Scott was still hiding, mind whirring.

Scott was watching Allison-- with her pretty silver-and-blue tail-- chase Isaac around some of the plants, and didn’t notice when Stiles drifted over. That was okay, though; Stiles was lost in his own thoughts, and simply let the current bob him up and down in place while he thought.

He watched Erica approach the newcomer, only to be completely ignored; Jackson was aggressively chased off when he tried to get too close to the new fish, and Stiles took great glee in watching the big, dark blue, green, red, white-- seriously, the newcomer had too many colors on him; Stiles couldn’t even think of a proper way to describe that color combination-- chase Jackson halfway across the tank before the bigger fish darted into the floating log and seemed to claim it as his territory. He stayed there for the rest of the day, and didn’t even emerge when the feeder came and dropped off its usual load of food. When the lights clicked off, Stiles passed by the opening of the log; somehow the newcomer had backed one opening of the log against the glass, and was drifting inside the log, half-asleep; Stiles continued on his way to his own sleeping spot, thinking.

***

The next day found Stiles approaching the log once again; when the new fish caught sight of him, he stilled, and Stiles took his chance. _Hi, I’m Stiles,_ he spelled out, hopeful. _What’s your name?_

The other fish paused, seeming to consider, before answering, _Derek._

Stiles was elated, wriggling excitedly. _Hi Derek! How are you? Where are you from? What kind of fish are you? I’ve never seen one like you before!_

The questions seemed to catch Derek off-guard, and he took his time replying. _This is a new tank. I come from a much smaller tank. I’m a betta._

Stiles understood the new-tank feeling. _This tank’s not bad,_ he offered. _Jackson’s the only obnoxious one, and you chased him off yesterday, remember? I don’t think he’ll bother you now._

Derek was quiet for a few moments before asking, _What kind of fish are you? You look almost like me._

Stiles wriggled in place, pleased. _I’m a guppy,_ he answered, spinning to show off his own, admittedly small and slim, blue and silver scales and fins. _Everyone here is, except for you._

Derek seemed to consider that for a moment. _I’ve never really met another fish who wasn’t a betta,_ he admitted. _I was separated from my siblings when we were very young; I’ve only ever been in that really small container. I don’t know what to do with all this space._

Stiles brightened. _I can give you a tour,_ he offered excitedly. _It’s not very big, but we’ve got a stump and a few plants and a really cool little thing that pushes you around and is really fun._

Derek drifts a little closer with a flick of his (really really beautiful) tail. _Okay._

***

And that’s that; Derek and Stiles hung out a lot, Stiles introduced Derek to Scott and Boyd and Erica (and Allison, once Scott finally got over his shyness and actually approached her) and the rest of the guppies. Jackson dismissed Derek, obviously still indignant over being chased that first day, but Derek dismissed him just as readily, so Stiles figured it was fine. Gradually Stiles and Derek started eating in the log at the same time; Derek got fed these humongous pieces of food that Stiles would have never been able to fit in his mouth(Stiles was a little jealous), but he didn’t seem to mind sharing his eating space with Stiles. Eventually, Derek and Stiles became all but inseparable, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to simply hang out by the warm stick and talk about everything and nothing at all. Derek didn’t like the current where Stiles and Scott liked to play, so that was usually just a Stiles-and-Scott activity; one day, Derek approached Stiles after Stiles and Scott had spent quite a while trying to swim against the current, his body language screaming his shyness. _Can I show you something?_

Stiles offered an affirmative before telling Scott goodbye and following Derek over to their corner. Except, there was a large mass of… something there. _What is that?_ Stiles asked curiously, swimming closer to examine it.

 _It’s a nest,_ Derek explained. _I… made it for you._

Stiles turned to look at Derek in surprise. _A nest? For me?_

Derek just wriggled in place affirmatively and more than a bit nervous, and Stiles can’t help but dart over to the betta, swimming around him excitedly, unable to properly convey his gratitude and affection before flashing back over to the nest and examining it happily; it seems to be made of many bubbles, and it feels really nice when he brushes alongside it. _Dude this is amazing,_ Stiles enthused when Derek drifted closer. _I love you, you know that?_

Derek did a complicated little move that managed to convey fondness, exasperation, and affection at the same time. _Yes, I do; in case it wasn’t obvious, I love you too._

Stiles beamed.


End file.
